South Korea extends travel ban on six nations, including Somalia

SEOUL - South Korea will extend a travel ban on six countries in the Middle East and Africa, including Somalia for six months due to prolonged security risks, the Foreign Ministry here said.

The ban was slated to expire on January 31, reports Yonhap News Agency reported.

It will be extended to Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, Afghanistan, and the southern region of the Philippine archipelago -- the Zamboanga Peninsula, Sulu, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi -- the Ministry said.

The designated regions are exposed to constant risks of terrorist attacks and political instability that will likely persist for a considerable period of time, it added.

Travel to Iraq, Syria, Somalia, and Afghanistan has been banned since 2007.

Seoul imposed the ban on Yemen in 2011, Libya in 2014, and the islands in the Philippines in 2015.